The Crucio Effect
by MidnightOnyx21
Summary: Harry and Hermione are rendered boarderline insane after being attacked in Diagon Alley. Ron searches for answers.


Title: The Cruico Effect

Rating: T

Summary: Five years post DH, the perfect world they strived for comes undone with Harry and Hermione are brutally attacked in Diagon Alley.

Chapter 1: Somewhat Better, Not Well

~*~

Ron Weasley arrived at 10 o'clock in the morning three times week armed with candy and two small bouquets of flowers that were charmed to sparkle and never lose their scent. Stepping easily through the magical barrier that shielded the magical hospital from muggles and into the brightly lit front corridor that housed the tea room on the first floor and gift shop. Only a few patients were in the visitor's room, and a few early risers that were seeing them were loitering about the nearly empty hallways.

But Ron knew that they would be up by now. They always were up at this time.

"One moment please. Oh- Mr. Weasley, how nice to see you this morning! My don't you look dashing today." The healer at the front desk said, looking up from a mountain of paperwork that was at her desk. Ron blushed, and shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"Uhhh, thanks Healer Edith. Are Harry Potter and Hermione Granger up yet?"

" Why yes dearie they are. They had an early therapy session at nine and are in the recreational room at the moment. Second floor fifth door on the right."

" Ah, thank you."

"No problem, sweetie. Have a good day."

" Yeah, you too.

Ron just barely avoided a wizard who was making muggle airplane noses and skipping down the hall when he entered the room and looked for the familiar black haired wizard and bushy haired witch in the room.

The duo were sitting in chairs that were next to the patio. Harry had a blanket wrapped around his waist, his head lolled to the side as though he was sleeping. Hermione was looking at a book upside down, and tearing out the pages, amused by watching the confetti she'd made with a childlike smile on her face.

" Hey, Harry. Hermione. How are you?"

Ron flicked his wand, summoning a stool to him, and taking a seat. Harry turned and looked at his best friend, his green eyes dulled from sedatives and confusion. Slowly reaching out a hand, Harry patted Ron on the head, smiling beatifically.

" Funny fuzzy…. Ha ha ha. Fuzzy funny…. Fuzzy fuzzy…."

Ron accepted Harry's childlike behavior as normal. Ron offered his first bouquet to Hermione who eagerly took the flowers, and began breaking off the petals and scattering them all over her blanket and then picking at the pieces.

" blue rain… blue rain! Lookie! I made blue rain! Wheeeee!"

Hermione watched as the nice red headed man gave blue rain to the nice black haired boy and pointed at the demolished flowers with utmost glee.

" Seee, I made pretty blue rain…. You like it? I did it all by myself!"

Hermione gathered up the mess of flowers and dropped some handfuls loosely into Ron's lap, beaming at him like a toddler who'd accomplished tying her shoes correctly.

Ron let his hands run over the crumpled up petals and looked up at his girlfriend's face with a hidden sadness in his eyes.

"I see that. You did make the blue rain. It's…. very nice, Hermione. Thank you."

" He can't make the blue rain." Hermione said in low, teasing voice, pointing over at Harry who had taken to staring at his bouquet with childlike innocence, trying to catch the sparkles as they flittered in and out of the flowers.

" See, it's a special talent that you have all to yourself, honey." Ron reminded her gently, taking her hands in his own, rubbing them gently.

" I can't catch sparkles. They don't like me." Harry said sadly. He grasped at the sparkles, sighing in frustration when they eluded his grasp. Ron patted his best friend on the shoulder, and gave him an encouraging smile.

"You'll get them someday, Harry. That'll be your special talent." Ron reminded him.

"Humph. If you say so funny fuzzy." Harry grumbled.

Ron reached into his pocket, and was shocked to see that it was already half past eleven. He had to report to the store in twenty minutes or George would skin him alive if he was late. He had to show their newest employee, Lee Jordan around the place, and keep the duo from pranking other customers. Ron then picked up the boxes of candy.

"I, bought some candy. I hope you like it."

" Ooooh! Thank you funny fuzzy!"

Harry greedily snatched the small white box, tearing off the lid, and stuffing the assorted chocolate frogs, peppermint toads into his mouth. Hermione took her candy box, and inspected each candy, nibbing a bit off of each one and placing it back in the box.

" I bite each one so each piece is the same. No piece should be lonely. It'll make them sad." Hermione confided in Ron like it was the greatest piece of information since the perfection of the racing broom. Ron merely nodded, accepting their behavior.

"Well, you're a smart girl so you must know what's right."

"Heeeeey! I'm smart tooooooooooo! I'm smart! I'm smart. I'm SMART TOO!" Harry yelled suddenly, looking as though he was prepared to have a monstrous temper tantrum. A Healer monitoring the room looked up from her desk with a frown, and Ron waved her away with a look in his eyes that clearly read ' I have this under control' look.

" Shhh. I know you're smart Harry. You're my best mate after all." Ron consoled the angry boy who lived with a pat on the shoulder.

" Am I really? I never had a fwend before….. I'm happy." Harry said agreeably, looking at Ron with a curious glance.

"Who…. Are…. You?"

Ron looked at his two best friends, taking their hands in his own and looking at them both steadily in the eyes.

" I'm…. R- Ron Weasley, I'm your best friend. I'm really sorry, but I have to go to work now. I'll come back on Friday, ok?"

Harry and Hermione looked at Ron, their eyes showing no indication of even understanding Ron nor having any recollection of who he was. Harry turned back to eating his candy, and staring at his flowers, while Hermione focused on making her 'blue rain'.

To this, Ron saw this as a vast improvement compared to the previous months in their behavior after the attack.

" Bye you guys. I'll be back, don't worry."

They didn't look up when he stood up and left the room. They didn't know him. They didn't understand him either.

It was the same thing every time he came to visit, and somehow, someday, Ron hoped and prayed that somehow he and the others would get through to them.

For, now Ron would continue to visit and work with them. After all, they were the Trio, and that means they were bonded, and soon they would heal.

_A/N: First chapter is done! Please leave a review, it means the world to me if you do so. _


End file.
